There will be no WER for the 2017 season. We apologize for this inconvenience.

"I've never had the chance to do an (independent) research project like the one at Huyck before, so the program was very beneficial to me. I'm even presenting my poster at a local science fair."Milani, WER Class of 2013, 2nd Place Montgomery County Science Fair, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2019

"(Wildlife Ecology Research) really helped me make a decision about my future academic interests. I've decided to major in ecology and evolutionary biology... I am grateful that you increased my knowledge and ecology and I know that I can go far in it." Terrance, WER Class of 2012, UC Berkley 2017

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Wildlife Ecology Research is an intensive 3 week program where rising juniors and seniors learn basic ecological principles through hands-on research experience. Ecologist from colleges and universities around the country instruct students on population, community, physiological, disease and behavioral ecology using a diverse array of wildlife and standard research techniques. Wildlife Ecology Research culminates in rigorous small group research projects where students develop and implement research projects from hypothesis to final paper. This program aims to provide a significant academic experience that will help students prepare for courses and research experiences at the college level.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Identify interesting and important research topics and create research protocols using the scientific method.

Understand and implement common field techniques for sampling plant and animal populations.

Demonstrate a variety of methods for data collection, analysis and interpretation.

Identify prevalent species comprising the main areas of study, and demonstrate effective use of field guides and dichotomous keys.

Prepare written and oral reports of his or her research

PROGRAM TUITION

Tuition is $3,800 and includes room, board, tuition, lab and book fees. Upon acceptance to the program, a $950 non-refundable deposit is required to secure enrollment. The remainder of the tuition is due Friday, June 5, 2015. Wildlife Ecology Research is limited to 9 students per session.Financial AidNo family should be discouraged from applying to Wildlife Ecology Research because of lack of funds. We welcome a broad cross section of students interested in ecological research and can offer over $14,000 in financial assistance to interested students. Tuition assistance for Wildlife Ecology Research is awarded via merit based scholarships and/or on the basis of financial need. Students requesting financial assistance are encouraged to apply by the regular admissions due date to increase their chances of receiving the full amount of requested aid.

JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE ECOLOGY RESEARCH

"Reading journal articles and writing my own (research report) has really come in handy (back at school in science labs). My teacher returned our first lab reports and I had a 100%..." -Kaija, WER Class of 2013

Upon completion of the course, student papers will be published in the Huyck Preserve's Journal of Wildlife Ecology Research. Flip through the journals to get examples of student projects.

Volume 1, 2012

Volume 2, 2013

Volume 3, 2014

Volume 4, 2015

STUDENT LIFE

"All of the experiences and lessons from Wildlife Ecology Research have been really valuable. I also appreciate all the support I received- it felt like my new home. I already miss the Preserve and can't thank you enough for caring for and education us." -Jaehyun, WER Class of 2013, University of Illinois 2019

Students live and work together, and are expected to abide by house rules: respecting the rights of others, sharing of meal preparations and clean-up, lights out, and health and safety protocols. Students are guided by two Residential Coordinator and Field Teaching Assistants, who will help with meal planning and domestic tasks. Students are expected to utilize time management to get assignments and readings for their lessons done on time and to complete their research project at the end of the session. Housing: Students participating in Wildlife Ecology Research stay together at Ordway House with a well-equipped kitchen, five bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a common area for dining and relaxing. Staff provide supervision during the evenings and at night. Students share rooms.Meals: Students prepare meals with help from staff. They are also responsible, again with staff support, for helping with clean-up after meals and of other shared facilities. Breakfast and dinner may be served at the field station. Lunches are prepared in the mornings for later in the day.Activities: Students can participate in several activities including swimming, hiking, and fishing. Evenings also provide the opportunities for naturalist led “nature's nightlife” and constellation identification tours, campfires, movie night, and more. Students are encouraged to participate in the evening Thursday Night Science Lecture series and other events ongoing at the Preserve during their stay.

INSTRUCTORS AND STAFF

"WER allowed us to interact with personally and learn from college professors, but out in the field as well as in a classroom. Very eye-opening!" -Jessica, WER Class of 2014

Lead InstructorTBD

Examples of Guest Instructors from Summer 2015Susan W. Beatty, Ph.D., Cornell, 1981, is the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Portland State University. Her interests are in biogeography, soils and plant ecology. She has worked extensively on the effects of both natural and anthropogenic disturbances in temperate forests, California chaparral and grasslands of North America and China. Her research on species richness in deciduous forests of the northeastern U.S. has been supported by the National Science Foundation and her work on the stability of grazed grasslands has been sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences (PRC) and the Nature Conservancy (CA). Currently her interests are in integrating fine and coarse-scale vegetation processes to determine potential response to disturbances such as global climate change.

Mary Beth Kolozsvary, Ph.D. Mary Beth Kolozsvary is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Siena College and former Biodiversity Scientist with the New York State Biodiversity Research Institute at the New York State Museum. She holds Research Associate appointments at the New York State Museum and Mohonk Preserve and is an active participant and leader in the Northeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. She has a strong background in wildlife and aquatic biology research and management. Her research interests focus on energy flow and the ecology of fishless waters, in particular examining the role of vernal pools in the conservation of pool-breeding amphibians in forested landscapes.

George Robinson, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, SUNY. He holds appointments as Associate Scientist with the NY State Museum, as Visiting Scientist with NY State Parks, and is a member of the Scientific Working Group of the NY State Biodiversity Research Institute. Dr. Robinson is also certified at the rank of Senior Ecologist by the Ecological Society of America. He has supervised six graduate theses and dissertations based on research conducted at the Huyck Preserve, including studies of forest succession, tree disease, stream ecology, and invasive earthworm ecology.

Guest LecturersAs a supplement to instruction in ecology research, students attend a number of seminars on advanced topics in science and research including science photography, illustration and writing; research ethics; ecological management and conservation; and careers in ecology and field biology in general.

Residential Coordinators/Field Teaching AssistantsA minimum of two additional support staff are responsible for providing supervision for students before and after class each day and over the weekends. Support staff will assist students in meal preparation and the completion of household duties. Additionally, staff helps students plan nightly and weekend activities including fishing and swimming outings, hikes, constellation identification tours, campfires, and movie nights.